Flooding might delay spring fieldwork for farmers in eastern North Dakota, but they say they have been hit harder in other years.

Cass County rancher Darrell Discher said this year's flooding was the fourth worst he's seen since 1975.

"It wasn't good for a couple days," he said. "But the water's gone down."

Discher said he had water in his lawn, in a garage and near a machine shed. But the flooding lasted only two days, compared to almost a week in 1975 and about four days in 1997.

"It came so quick, and it left quicker," Discher said of this year's flood. "It didn't get near as high as it has before."

Discher said he is not too worried about when he will get into his fields. "Not too often do we get in before Easter," he said.

Extension agents in eastern counties say it is too early to know how long farming will be delayed. Starting planting dates will depend on how fast the floodwater dries up and how much new rain falls, they said.

The average anticipated start date for planting in North Dakota is April 18, according to the Agriculture Department.

The average in the northeastern part of the state is expected to be April 27.

"Right now, we haven't entered the planting season," said Grand Forks County Extension Agent Ken Nichols.

He said planting could be delayed by a couple of weeks in the eastern part of the county but might be on time in the west, where farmers are away from the Red River and its tributaries and have sandier soil.

With rural roads covered by floodwaters, some farmers are having a hard time getting around, said Richland County Extension Agent Dale Siebert.

"We have several township or county roads that are closed or quite soft due to water conditions," he said.

Inaccessible roads make it difficult for farmers to haul materials they need for spring planting. Nichols said farmers also have a hard time hauling grain from their farm.

"The roads are so bad that you couldn't load a truck up and get it down the road," he said.

Cass County Agent John Kringler said some livestock pastured near the Red River have been moved to higher ground. Farming could be delayed in his county, too, he said.

"There's water standing on some areas," he said. "Of course, it'll depend on how quickly it moves off those fields what the results will be this spring."

Manvel Fire Chief Steve Schumer said the town northwest of Grand Forks is safe from flooding.

But farmers and ranchers in the rural areas are trying to protect their homesteads and machinery from high water, he said.

Terry Miller, director of the Farm Service Agency office in Grand Forks County, said he wasn't aware of any significant damage to the agricultural industry but that conditions could change as more water moves north.

"The damage is pretty isolated" right now, he said.